Wow, how could anyone be a Niners fan after that game last night. That was brutally U-G-L-I.

Yeah, it takes alot of character to be a fan of teams like the 49ers and other annual losers. I could always take the easy route, bandwagon to a recent years perennial winning favorite such as New England, Indy, San Diego ect who typically win most weekends during the season- but I'm too loyal to my team win or lose.

So no matter how the victory looks (IE see the packer philly game(even lower scoring)) I still am happy with it.

The DS

Lower scoring, but not poorly played. Alex Smith and Matt Leinart looked AWFUL in that game. I didn't get to see the Packer game, so maybe it was just as bad. Props for sticking by your team even in the bad years.

What do you all think about the Patriots videotaping scandal? I think they should suspend the coach AND lose a couple of draft picks, if not all of them next year. Nice to know that these guys were able to steal a few SB rings before getting caught.

Somehow, miraculously, the GB VS Philly game was just as sloppy but had more offensive stats(but not much higher) The Defenses played great in this game too(I watched it).

New England Spying--

I've heard alot of takes on this, I think it's disgusting.

If the Pats had to cheat on a Jets game that they're supposed to win, then did they cheat on the huge games that were more important? Playoff games?

Until I heard someone point it out- it didn't occur to me that them being a second-half team known for making the right adjustments. Why is that? All the video taping help them get info on whether a D was in a run or Pass D per play or whether a team was in blitz so they could use it in the second half to help their offense?

I am sure alot of teams are cheating like this BUT, the Pats got caught doing it...it doesn't matter if their coach is well liked or not, their team successfull or not, the NFL should punish hard to make an example here (to be consistent with other recent rulings) to deter other teams from doing this.

The Pats were already warned before about this- which makes this incident more severe as well!!

Considering all this, I want

4 game suspension of head coachloss of both their 1st round picks next draft$500,000 fine to the Patriots team

If you don't hit them in the balls they'll continue to be arrogant and smug about their 'tainted' successes.(if you take 1 of their 2 first round pics, they'll just shrug it off-claiming they have another still)

I couldn't agree more. I think teams are trying to find an edge, but I don't believe that other teams in the NFL are videotaping play calls from the sideline. I've heard of teams bringing in former players from rival teams and I'm sure they try to pull any play calling, team secrets, nuances, etc. out of those players, but there is a big difference between that and going against the NFL rules which specifically state that you cannot use video specifically aimed at monitoring play calling.

A number of players from other teams have come out saying that this behavior is shockingly wrong and I definitely believe them over anyone who says that "everybody's doing it." But even if other teams were doing it, that doesn't make it right. It certainly is astonishing how well the Pats adjust to other teams in the second half and how well they've done the past few years without superstar talent. Hines Ward reitterated his comments from last year about how the Pats "Seemed to know what the Steelers were going to do on every play" during last year's playoff game. The Packers found the same camera guy videotaping their game last year (the one they lost 0-35) and kicked him out of the stadium, so its not like this is something new.

Personally, I don't think any punishment is too severe, considering that the Pats may have used this advantage to win multiple Superbowls. What's really sad is that players and coaches have lost their jobs based on defeats by the Patriots, so its not just some trivial event without consequence to others. I'd recommend taking away any draft picks for a year, suspending the coach for four games, and fining them a million dollars to really make it sting. Even that doesn't seem like enough if the Pats won their SB rings because of this.

I used to think the Raiders were the crummiest team in the NFL, but the Pats and their cheating really take the cake.

i don't think draft picks or suspensions would be a heavy enough price for so obviously trying to cheat. the pats are good, so they would probably win with or without their coach, and they will not get any good draft picks anyhow. the only thing i see that would really steer every team away from any more sign stealing is to have the pats forefit that game.

Are you sure? From previous deals, they get 2 first rounders next year. I can think of alot of late rounders that became stars in the past so, sure- it doesn't necessarily mean the first rounders will be great but odds are higher they'll be good.

I really dislike how a majority of the ESPN analysts are for really light penalties. Most of the lot are talking 1 game HC suspension, A 2nd OR 3rd round pick next year. They seem to favor real wrist slap punishment. They seem to be really dumbing it down too.

This IS serious..good point about lost jobs over Pat's losses in playoffs-good angle. I like the punishments recommended so far. I'm hoping the NFL as a minimum uses my punishments..anything more would be great, though I get the feeling I will be dissapointed with their judgement.

This team has won 4 superbowls in recent history and there's no way to prove that they did not cheat to get there and win the games!

Well, we know for a fact that they didn't deserve at least the first of those Superbowls, since they cheated (or at least the refs sort of did) in "beating" the Raiders on that SNOWJOB fumble at the end of the AFC Championship game that year, which they (should've) lost.

Not that I'm still bitter about that total bull**** call or anything (which would've allowed for my dream Superbowl of Raiders vs. Rams). ********.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick has been fined the maximum amount under the NFL Constitution and By-Laws of $500,000 for violating league policy last Sunday on the use of equipment to videotape an opposing team's offensive or defensive signals.

In addition, Commissioner Roger Goodell also notified the Patriots that they would forfeit their first-round draft choice in 2008 if they reach the playoffs, or their own second-round and third-round picks if they do not qualify for the playoffs, and that the club would be fined $250,000.

I'm not surprisingly dissapointed, I just don't think this was tough enough, a real wrist slap- if I've ever seen one.

Well, we know for a fact that they didn't deserve at least the first of those Superbowls, since they cheated (or at least the refs sort of did) in "beating" the Raiders on that SNOWJOB fumble at the end of the AFC Championship game that year, which they (should've) lost.

Yeah, I'm a raider hater, but even I was admittedly pissed about that call as well. Total BS- and to make a new rule on it the next year to throw the game's ruling in our face- what a disgrace

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick has been fined the maximum amount under the NFL Constitution and By-Laws of $500,000 for violating league policy last Sunday on the use of equipment to videotape an opposing team's offensive or defensive signals.

In addition, Commissioner Roger Goodell also notified the Patriots that they would forfeit their first-round draft choice in 2008 if they reach the playoffs, or their own second-round and third-round picks if they do not qualify for the playoffs, and that the club would be fined $250,000.

I'm not surprisingly dissapointed, I just don't think this was tough enough, a real wrist slap- if I've ever seen one.

DS

That's better than I expected, but agree - I wish the penalty was more severe.

Dickish is about the only thing I can think of to describe the Pats right now... Makes me wonder if those AFC Championship games we lost to them would've gone the same. That's what's so dickish about it too, including for the Pats fans... Everything they accomplished is with some tainting now to many people.

Well, we know for a fact that they didn't deserve at least the first of those Superbowls, since they cheated (or at least the refs sort of did) in "beating" the Raiders on that SNOWJOB fumble at the end of the AFC Championship game that year, which they (should've) lost.

Yeah, I'm a raider hater, but even I was admittedly pissed about that call as well. Total BS- and to make a new rule on it the next year to throw the game's ruling in our face- what a disgrace